Battle of Gvozd Mountain

Part of the War of the Croatian Succession

Death of the Last Croatian King from House of Trpimirović, by Oton Iveković

Date	April/May 1097
Location	Gvozd Mountain, traditionally identified as modern-day Petrova Gora ("Peter's Mountain") in central Croatia; more recently identified as modern-day Kapela mountain range in south-central Croatia
Result	Decisive Hungarian victory; death of Petar Svačić

Belligerents

Kingdom of Croatia (allies of Petar Svačić)

Kingdom of Hungary

Allies among Croatian nobles

Commanders and leaders

Petar Svačić †

Coloman of Hungary (not present)
Merkurije

Strength

unknown

Casualties and losses

Heavy

unknown

Kingdom of Hungary

The Battle of Gvozd Mountain took place in the year 1097 and was fought between the army of Petar Svačić and King Coloman I of Hungary. It was a decisive Hungarian victory and resulted in the death of Petar Svačić.

In an attempt to win the crown of the Kingdom of Croatia, the Hungarian army crossed the river Drava and invaded the Croatian territory, trying to reach the Adriatic coast. A local lord Peter II of Croatia then moved from his residency at Knin castle in an attempt to defend the kingdom from the Hungarians. Peter and his army moved north to meet advancing Hungarians, and the two armies met each other in the vicinity of Gvozd Mountain. After a fierce battle, Peter was killed.

The traditional Croatian historiography identified Gvozd Mountain, the location of the battle according to Gesta Hungarorum, as Petrova Gora (formerly Gvozd Gora). In the second half of the 20th century, an alternative interpretation emerged, by which the battle took place in the Kapela mountain region of south-central Croatia.

The outcome of the battle was disastrous for Petar Svačić's army and country because it marked the official end of a native dynasty ruling in Croatia. The winner of the battle, King Coloman of Hungary created a personal union between the kingdoms of Croatia and Hungary. He was then crowned as King of Croatia in the Croatian capital Biograd on the Adriatic coast in 1102. Until the end of the World War I in 1918, the two crowns were united in personal union.

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Wikipedia